JP4923082B2 - Point processing system, customer terminal, accounting apparatus and program thereof - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a point processing system for processing points issued when a customer purchases a product.

  In recent years, many retail stores have introduced a point service system for the purpose of keeping customers. In this system, a registered point member receives issuance of points by purchasing a product at a store and uses the stored points at the store. As a method of using points, it is common to discount points from the total amount of purchased products by converting the points into amounts, but recently, donations using points have also been proposed.

  For example, in Patent Document 1, donation points are temporarily stored in a register terminal device when donation target products are registered, and when all products are registered, a list of donation points is displayed and donation points are donated. And a technique for cumulatively storing the donation points according to the direction when the destination and the destination are selected from the list.

  However, in the technique described in Patent Document 1, when a customer performs accounting, it is selected whether or not to donate the points earned by the customer, and to which location, the accounting operation takes time. There is a problem of increasing the congestion of the place, which is not practical.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a point processing system that can easily realize a point donation act without affecting accounting operations and has improved practicality.

  The present invention comprises a portable customer terminal and an accounting device. The customer terminal is provided to a purchaser of a product identified by the product identifier when the product identifier is input via the product input unit and the product input unit for inputting a product identifier for identifying the product. A donation accepting unit that accepts a selection input as to whether or not to donate points; a product identifier that is input via the product input unit; and an identifier that is input to donate the points Storage means for memorizing the discriminable identifiers. The accounting device includes a capturing unit that captures a product identifier stored in the storage unit of the customer terminal, and an accounting processing unit that processes accounting for a product purchased by the customer based on the product identifier captured by the capturing unit. And point donating means for processing, as donation points, points derived from the merchandise identifier input to the effect of donation among the merchandise identifiers taken in by the taking-in means.

  According to the present invention in which such a measure is taken, the point donation act can be easily realized without affecting the accounting operation, which is practical.

1 is a system configuration diagram of an embodiment according to the present invention. The data structure figure of the goods database used in the embodiment. The data structure figure of the member database used in the embodiment. The data structure figure of the donation destination database used in the embodiment. The block diagram which shows the principal part structure of the radio | wireless communication terminal used by the embodiment. The figure which shows the main memory areas formed in RAM of a radio | wireless communication terminal. The block diagram which shows the principal part structure of the POS terminal used by the embodiment. 5 is a flowchart showing main program processing procedures executed by the CPU of the wireless communication terminal in the embodiment. 5 is a flowchart showing a program processing procedure at the time of member account key input executed by the CPU of the POS terminal in the embodiment. The figure which shows an example of the donation inquiry screen displayed on the display with a touchscreen of a wireless communication terminal in the embodiment. The figure which shows an example of the purchase information screen displayed on the display with a touch panel of a wireless communication terminal in the embodiment.

  FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram of an embodiment according to the present invention. This system is built in a retail store such as a supermarket where a point service system is introduced. The system includes a store server 1 as a central part thereof. A POS (Point Of Sales) terminal 3, an access point 4, and a terminal rack controller 5 are connected to the store server 1 via a LAN (Local Area Network) 2.

  The store server 1 manages a product database 11, a member database 12, and a donation destination database 13. As shown in FIG. 2, the product database 11 stores product data such as a product name, a price, a donation flag, a donation destination code, and a donation point in association with a product code as a product identifier for identifying each product. For example, a product recommended for ecology activities and welfare activities is set as a point donation target product that can donate at least a part of points given to customers at the time of purchase to a specific donation destination. Then, for the point donation target product, the donation flag is set to “1”, and the corresponding donation destination code and donation points are stored.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the member database 12 stores holding points and cumulative donation points in association with a member number as a member identifier for identifying each point member. Points acquired by the customer identified by the corresponding membership number by purchasing the product at the store are stored as holding points. The total points donated by the customer so far are stored as cumulative donation points.

  The donation destination database 13 associates the name of the donation destination with the donation destination code as the donation destination identifier assigned in advance to the environmental activity organization or charitable organization to which the points are donated, and the total points of the donation points. Remember.

  The terminal rack controller 5 connects the member number input unit 6 and the terminal rack 7. The member number input unit 6 is used to input a member number assigned to a customer registered as a point member. For example, a card reader for reading a membership number from an IC card is applicable.

  The terminal rack 7 forms a plurality of terminal stands 8. One wireless communication terminal 9 is detachably placed on each table 8. In addition, a display unit 10 such as an LED is provided for each table 8 on a one-to-one basis.

  The wireless communication terminal 9 is an aspect of the customer terminal according to the present invention, and its main configuration is shown in the block diagram of FIG. As shown in the figure, the wireless communication terminal 9 includes a portable main body having a CPU 21, a ROM 22, a RAM 23, a wireless unit 24, a scanner 25, a touch panel display 26, an interface 27, and a battery 28. The scanner 25 reads a product code such as a barcode attached to a product, and functions as a product input unit. The display 26 with a touch panel functions as an input unit and a display unit. A keyboard may be used as the input means instead of the touch panel display.

  The RAM 23 includes a purchase file 31, a threshold table 32, and a member data file 33 as main memory areas as shown in FIG. The purchase file 31 stores data on a product code, a product name, a unit price, a quantity, a donation flag, a donation destination name, a donation point, and the number of executions for each product purchased by a customer. The threshold value table 32 stores different image information corresponding to each of a plurality (in the present embodiment, four stages) of cumulative donation point ranges divided in stages in a direction in which the cumulative donation points increase. The image of the image information is preferably an image in which the degree of contribution to ecology activities and welfare activities can be seen at a glance, for example, trees grow each time the range of cumulative donation points increases by one step. The member data file 33 has storage areas for member numbers, holding points, cumulative donation points, provisional cumulative donation points, and purchase amounts.

  The POS terminal 3 is an aspect of the accounting apparatus according to the present invention, and its main configuration is shown in the block diagram of FIG. As illustrated, the POS terminal 3 includes a CPU 41, a ROM 42, a RAM 43, a clock unit 44, a LAN controller 45, an interface 47 to which a cradle 46 is connected, a scanner 48, a keyboard 49, an operator display 50, and a customer display 51. And a printer 52. The cradle 46 functions as a docking station for the wireless communication terminal 9. The RAM 43 stores the same threshold value table as the threshold value table 32 stored in the RAM 23 of the wireless communication terminal 9. These threshold tables are created by, for example, the store server 1 and downloaded to each wireless communication terminal 9 and the POS terminal 3 via the LAN 2 before the start of one business day.

  In a retail store where this system is constructed, for example, a terminal rack 7 is installed at the entrance of the store. A wireless communication terminal 9 is placed on each table 8 of the terminal rack 7. When the wireless communication terminal 9 is placed on the cradle 8, the wireless communication terminal 9 is electrically connected to the terminal rack controller 5 via the interface 27 and the battery 28 is charged.

  A member number input unit 6 is provided in the vicinity of the terminal rack 7. A customer (point member) who visits the store inputs his / her member number via the member number input unit 6. When the member number is input, the terminal rack controller 5 sends this member number to the store server 1 to inquire about member information. The store server 1 that has received the inquiry searches the member database 12 and calls the holding points and the cumulative donation points of the member identified by the member number. Then, the member number, the holding point, and the cumulative donation point are returned to the terminal rack controller 5.

  The terminal rack controller 5 selects one wireless communication terminal 9 placed on any one of the tables 8. Then, the member number, the holding point and the cumulative donation point received from the store server 1 are written in the member number area, the holding point area and the cumulative donation point area of the member data file 33. Further, for example, the display unit 10 corresponding to the table 8 on which the terminal 9 is placed blinks.

  The member who has confirmed the blinking of the display unit 10 takes out the wireless communication terminal 9 from the table 8 corresponding to the display unit 10. The wireless communication terminal 9 taken out from the cradle 8 switches the driving power source to the battery 28. Thereafter, the wireless communication terminal 9 configures the program so that the CPU 21 operates in the procedure shown in the flowchart of FIG.

  That is, the CPU 21 clears the purchase file 31 as ST (step) 1. Also, in ST2, the points in the cumulative donation point area are copied to the provisional cumulative donation point area of the member data file 33 (donation cumulative point acquisition means). Further, the data of the purchase amount area is set to “0”.

  Next, the CPU 21 searches the threshold value table 32 with the points stored in the provisional cumulative donation point area as ST3. Then, the image information corresponding to the cumulative donation point range to which the point belongs is read (image acquisition means), and the image is displayed on the touch panel display 26 (image output means).

  Next, the CPU 21 waits for the product code to be scanned by the scanner 25 in ST4. When scanning is performed (YES in ST3: product input means), the CPU 21 creates a product information inquiry message including the product code as ST5. Then, this message is wirelessly transmitted to the store server 1 via the wireless unit 24.

  This message is transmitted to the store server 1 via any one of the access points 4. The store server 1 searches the product database 11 with the product code in the message, and reads product data such as the product name, price, donation flag, donation destination code, and donation points of the product identified by the inquired product code. . Further, the donation destination database 13 is searched with the donation destination code in the read product data, and the donation destination name corresponding to the donation destination code is acquired. Then, the product data including the donation destination name is wirelessly transmitted to the wireless communication terminal 9 as the inquiry source.

  This product data is transmitted to the inquiring wireless communication terminal 9 via any one of the access points 4. CPU21 which received merchandise data via the radio | wireless part 24 memorize | stores the merchandise information in the purchase file 31 as ST6. At this time, it is determined whether or not product data of the same product code is already stored in the purchase file 31. If not stored, the responding product code, price, donation flag, donation destination name, and donation points are stored as one record. The quantity of this record is “1”. The number of executions is “0”. On the other hand, when the product data of the same product code is already stored, the quantity of the record is increased by “1”.

  Next, the CPU 21 multiplies the price and quantity for each record stored in the purchase file 31 as ST7 to obtain an amount of money, and adds up the amounts of each record to calculate the total amount. Then, the total amount is overwritten in the purchase amount area of the member data file 33.

  Next, CPU21 judges whether the donation flag is set to the record of the purchase file 31 which memorize | stored the merchandise data acquired this time as ST8. If the scanned product is not eligible for point donation, the donation flag is not set. In this case (NO in ST8), the CPU 21 proceeds to the process in ST13.

  If the scanned product is eligible for point donation, the donation flag is set. In this case (YES in ST8), the CPU 21 displays a donation inquiry screen 60 on the display 26 with a touch panel as ST9 (donation accepting means). An example of the donation inquiry screen 60 is shown in FIG. As shown in the figure, the donation inquiry screen 60 includes a provisional cumulative donation point 61 of the member data file 33, an image 62 of image information corresponding to the point, a product name and price 63 of the product data acquired this time, and the product. Message data 64 indicating that a point is to be donated, a donation name and a donation point 65 are displayed. In addition, a YES button 66 and a NO button 67 are displayed together with a message asking the member whether or not to make a donation. The member who confirmed the message touches the YES button 66 when donating points, and touches the NO button 67 when not donating points.

  After displaying the donation inquiry screen 60, the CPU 21 waits for either the YES button 66 or the NO button 67 to be touched in ST10. When the NO button 67 is touched (NO in ST10), the CPU 21 proceeds to the process in ST13.

  When the YES button 66 is touched (YES in ST10), the CPU 21 increases the number of executions of the record of the purchase file 31 storing the product data acquired this time as ST11 by “1”. In ST12, the donation points of the record are added to the provisional cumulative donation point area of the member data file 33. Thereafter, the CPU 21 proceeds to the process of ST13.

  Here, the purchase file 31 functions as a storage unit that stores the scanned product code so that it can be discriminated between data that has been input for donating points and data that has not been input for donation.

  In ST13, the CPU 21 displays a purchase information screen 70 on the display 26 with a touch panel. An example of the purchase information screen 70 is shown in FIG. As shown in the figure, on the purchase information screen 70, the provisional cumulative donation point 71 of the member data file 33, the image 72 of the image information corresponding to this point, and the product name and price 73 of the product data acquired this time are displayed. . In addition, a YES button 74 and a NO button 75 are displayed together with a message for inquiring the member whether or not to end shopping. The member who confirmed the message touches the NO button 75 to continue shopping, and touches the YES button 74 to end shopping.

  After displaying the purchase information screen 70, the CPU 21 waits for either one of the YES button 74 and the NO button 75 to be touched in ST14. When the NO button 75 is touched (NO in ST14), the CPU 21 proceeds to the process in ST3. That is, the threshold value table 32 is searched with the points stored in the provisional cumulative donation point area. Then, image information corresponding to the cumulative donation point range to which the point belongs is read out and displayed on a part of the screen area of the display 26 with a touch panel. After that, it waits for the next product code to be scanned. If the product code is scanned, the processing of ST5 to ST14 is executed again.

  On the other hand, when the YES button 74 is touched (YES in ST14), the CPU 21 waits for a read request command as ST15. When the read request command is received via the interface 27 (YES in ST15), the CPU 21 sends the data of the purchase file 31 together with the membership number, the holding points and the cumulative donation points of the member data file 33 via the interface 27 as ST16. Send to command sender (output means). This is the end of the current processing procedure.

  As described above, when the member who takes out the wireless communication terminal 9 from the terminal rack 7 and carries it, the product code attached to the product is scanned by the scanner 25 when the product to be purchased is put in, for example, a shopping cart. , Perform temporary registration. Then, when the product is a point donation target, a donation inquiry screen 60 is displayed. Therefore, the member checks the screen 60 and touches the YES button 66 when donating points. Then, the execution count of the record of the product temporarily registered in the purchase file 31 is increased by “1”. When the number of executions is “1” or more, the POS terminal 3 executes information processing for donating the donation points in the record to the donation destination. Touch the NO button 67 if you do not want to donate points. The purchase information screen 70 is displayed by touching any of the buttons 66 and 67. When confirming the screen 70 and continuing shopping, the NO button 75 is touched. Then, the product code of the product to be purchased next is scanned by the scanner 25.

  When ending shopping, the member touches the YES button 74. Then, to pay for the purchased merchandise, the user goes to an accounting place and places the wireless communication terminal 9 in the cradle 46. When it is confirmed that the wireless communication terminal 9 is placed on the cradle 46, the cashier presses a member accounting key provided on the keyboard 49. Then, the POS terminal 3 configures a program so that the CPU 41 executes member accounting processing according to the procedure shown in the flowchart of FIG.

  That is, the CPU 41 transmits a read request command via the interface 47 as ST21. Then, in ST22, it is determined whether or not the data has been successfully read. The read request command transmitted from the POS terminal 3 is given to the wireless communication terminal 9 placed in the cradle 46. As a result, the wireless communication terminal 9 returns the data including the product code of the purchase file 31 and the member number, the holding points, and the cumulative donation points. If the data is successfully received (YES in ST22), The CPU 41 temporarily stores received data in the work area of the RAM 43 (capture means).

  Next, the CPU 41 initializes the counter n to “0” in ST23. Subsequently, the CPU 41 increments the counter n by “1” in ST24. Then, as ST25, from the purchase file 31 stored in the work area, the nth (n is the value of the counter n) product data (product code, product name, price, quantity, donation flag, donation destination name, donation point, execution) Number of times).

  If the nth product data can be obtained from the purchase file 31 (YES in ST26), the CPU 41 determines whether or not the number of executions of the product data is “1” or more, that is, “0”, in ST27. to decide. The number of executions is “0” for the product data of products that are not eligible for point donation or products that are selected not to donate points. In this case (NO in ST27), the CPU 41 calculates an amount by multiplying the price of the product data by the quantity in ST30, and adds the amount of the product to the point target amount area of the RAM 23. The point target amount area is cleared before or after the member accounting key is input. Thereafter, the CPU 41 creates accounting data from the product code, product name, price, quantity and amount of the product data in ST31.

  On the other hand, the product data of a product that is eligible for point donation and has been selected to donate points has an execution count of “1” or more. In this case (YES in ST27), the CPU 41 calculates the donation points for the number of executions by multiplying the donation points of the product data by the number of executions in ST28, and points from the donation points and the name of the donation destination of the product data. Generate donation data. The point donation data is stored in the point donation data area of the RAM 23. The point donation data area is cleared before or after the member accounting key is input. Further, the CPU 41 adds the donation points for the number of executions calculated in the process of ST28 to the cumulative donation points stored in the work area as ST29. Thereafter, the process proceeds to ST31, and accounting data is created from the product code, product name, price, quantity and amount of the product data.

  When the accounting data is created from the nth product data in this way, the CPU 41 proceeds to the process of ST24. That is, the counter n is further incremented by “1”, the n-th product data is acquired from the purchase file 31, and the processes of ST27 to ST31 are executed again.

  If the processing of ST27 to ST31 is executed for all the product data in the purchase file 31 and the nth product data can no longer be acquired (NO in ST26), the CPU 41, as ST32, displays the operator display 50 and the customer. A list of accounting data is displayed on the display 51. Therefore, the cashier collates the displayed accounting data with the product purchased by the customer. If there is no difference, the cashier receives a payment and inputs a closing key corresponding to the payment method.

  When the close key of the keyboard 49 is input as ST33, the CPU 41 executes accounting processing such as sales registration of accounting data and change calculation as ST34 (accounting processing means). Further, the current issue point is calculated based on the amount stored in the point target amount area in ST35. Then, the current issue point is added to the holding point stored in the work area as ST36.

  Further, the CPU 41 searches the threshold table in the RAM 43 with the cumulative donation points stored in the work area. Then, image information corresponding to the cumulative donation point range to which the point belongs is read. Thereafter, the CPU 41 drives the printer 52 to issue a receipt in ST38. In addition to the accounting data, the receipt also prints the retention points and cumulative donation points in the work area. Further, the image of the image information read from the threshold value table in the process of ST37 is also printed.

  In step ST39, the CPU 41 transmits the membership number in the work area, the holding points, the cumulative donation points, and the point donation data stored in the point donation data area to the store server 1 via the LAN 2 (point donation means). This completes the accounting process for the member.

  The store server 1 updates the holding points and cumulative donation points corresponding to the corresponding member numbers in the member database 12 according to the member number, holding points and cumulative donation point data received from the POS terminal 3. Further, the donation destination database 13 is searched for each point donation data, and the donation points in the data are added to the total points corresponding to the same donation name as the point donation data.

  As described above, in the POS terminal 3, the accounting process is executed based on the product data temporarily registered in the purchase file 31 of the wireless communication terminal 9, and an input for donating is made on the donation inquiry screen 60. Donation points are derived from the product data, that is, product data whose execution count is “1” or more. This donation point is added to the total points corresponding to a predetermined donation destination in the donation destination database 13 managed by the store server 1. Further, the issue point is derived from the product data whose execution count is “0”. Then, the issuing point is added to the holding point corresponding to the member number in the member database 12 managed by the store server 1.

  Therefore, at the accounting location where the POS terminal 3 is installed, it is possible to donate points without selecting whether or not the customer will donate points or specifying where to donate when donating. Since the act can be realized, the accounting work takes time, and troubles that increase the congestion of the accounting place cannot occur. Therefore, a highly practical point donation method can be provided, leading to an improvement in the store image. In addition, since the points of this transaction are calculated from the data of products other than products that donate points and issued to customers, both the store side and the customer side will not suffer disadvantages, and the point service system will be promoted smoothly. be able to.

  Further, in the present embodiment, in the member database 12 on the store server 1, the cumulative value of points donated by each member so far is stored and managed for each member. When shopping, an image corresponding to the cumulative donation point of the member is automatically displayed on the screen of the display 26 with a touch panel of the wireless communication terminal 9 carried by the member. A similar image is printed on a receipt issued to the member. Therefore, from this image, since the customer can recognize that he / she contributes to ecology activities and welfare activities by donating points, customer satisfaction can be enhanced.

  In addition, this invention is not limited to the said embodiment as it is. For example, in the above-described embodiment, the point donation destination is set in advance for each product to be donated, but the customer can select a desired donation destination from a plurality of donation destination candidates on the donation inquiry screen 60. Good.

  Moreover, in the said embodiment, although the main body shape of the radio | wireless communication terminal 9 which functions as a customer's terminal was made portable, and the customer scanned the product code with the hand, it can be attached to a shopping cart and carried. In addition, the customer may be able to scan the product code without having it in hand.

  Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the case has been described in which a program for carrying out the invention is recorded in advance in the POS terminal 3, but the present invention is not limited to this, and a similar program may be downloaded from the network to the POS terminal 3. Then, the same program stored in the recording medium may be installed in the POS terminal 3. The recording medium may be any form as long as the recording medium can store the program and can be read by the apparatus, such as a CD-ROM. In addition, the function obtained by installing or downloading in advance may be realized in cooperation with an OS (operating system) inside the apparatus.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Store server, 3 ... POS terminal, 4 ... Access point, 5 ... Terminal rack controller, 6 ... Member number input part, 7 ... Terminal rack, 9 ... Wireless communication terminal, 11 ... Merchandise database, 12 ... Member database, 13 ... donation destination database, 31 ... purchase file, 32 ... threshold table, 33 ... member data file.

JP 2008-197782 A

Claims (5)

Product input means for inputting a product identifier for identifying a product, and when a product identifier is input through the product input means, whether to donate points provided to the purchaser of the product identified by this product identifier A donation accepting unit that accepts a selection input, and a product identifier input through the product input unit, an identifier that has been input to donate the points and an identifier that has not been input to donate A portable customer terminal equipped with a storage means for storing in a distinguishable manner;
Capture means for capturing the product identifier stored in the storage means of the customer terminal, accounting processing means for processing the accounting for the product purchased by the customer based on the product identifier captured by the capture means, and the capture An accounting device comprising point donating means for processing, as donation points, points derived from the product identifiers for which donation is input among the product identifiers captured by the means;
A point processing system comprising: A portable body,
Product input means for inputting a product identifier for identifying the product;
When a product identifier is input via the product input unit, a donation receiving unit that receives a selection input as to whether or not to donate points provided to the purchaser of the product identified by the product identifier;
Storage means for storing the product identifier input via the product input means in an identifiable manner by an identifier that has been input to donate the points and an identifier that has not been input to donate;
An output means for outputting a product identifier stored so that it is possible to determine whether or not to donate the points by the storage means;
A customer terminal characterized by comprising: A donated cumulative point acquisition means for acquiring a cumulative value of points donated by a customer identified by an inputted customer identifier from a database for accumulating points donated by the customer for each customer identifier for identifying each customer;
An image acquisition means for acquiring an image in accordance with the cumulative points acquired by the donation cumulative point acquisition means;
Image output means for outputting an image acquired by the image acquisition means;
The customer terminal according to claim 2, further comprising: From a terminal provided with storage means for storing the product identifier input via the product input means in an identifiable manner based on the identifier that has been input to donate points and the identifier that has not been input to donate points, Capture means for capturing the product identifier stored by the storage means;
Accounting processing means for processing the accounting of the product purchased by the shopper based on the product identifier captured by the capturing means;
Point donation means for processing the points derived from the product identifier input to be donated among the product identifiers captured by the capture means as donation points;
An accounting apparatus characterized by comprising: A computer used as an accounting device,
From a terminal provided with storage means for storing the product identifier input via the product input means in an identifiable manner based on the identifier that has been input to donate points and the identifier that has not been input to donate points, Capture means for capturing the product identifier stored by the storage means;
Accounting processing means for processing the accounting of the product purchased by the shopper based on the product identifier captured by the capturing means;
Point donation means for processing the points derived from the product identifier input to be donated among the product identifiers captured by the capture means as donation points;
Program to function as.

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